Published: 10 Feb 2011
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SCIENTISTS have created a real-life thinking cap which works by zapping electricity through the brain.

The weird-looking headwear has had extraordinary results and experts believe it could help people be more creative.

The device was dreamt up by the University of Sydney's Centre for the Mind in Australia and suppresses the left side of the brain to encourage the more creative right side into action.

But Centre director Allan Snyder said students hoping to use it to swot up before exams would be disappointed.

He said: "You wouldn't use this to study or to help your memory.

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"You would use this if you wanted to look at a problem anew.

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"If you wanted to look at the world, just briefly, with a child's view, if you wanted to look outside the box."

The device, which uses two electricity conductors, significantly boosted results in a simple maths test.

Out of a sample of 60 participants, THREE TIMES as many people who wore the cap were able to complete it, compared to those who tried it without.

The cap was inspired by accident victims who experienced a sudden surge in creativity after damaging the left side of their brains.

Allan said the goal was to suppress habits and opinions gathered through life experiences to help users see problems and situations as they really appear.

He added: "We know that from certain types of brain damage and abnormalities or injuries, people who suddenly have damage to the left temporal lobe will burst out in the arts or other types of creative activities.

"The dream is that one day we may be able to stimulate the brain in a particular way to give you, just momentarily, an unfiltered view of the world."